Tanabata Goseki : Season of Fireworks
by Morrigan Mikagami
Summary: Misao waits for a promise. Will Aoshi be there in time to fulfill it? Originally a vignette, but I found the power to extend it. suck at summaries, I'd rather you read it.
1. Prologue: Yakusoku

**TANABATA GOSEKI: Season of Fireworks**

**Prologue: Yakusoku, Aoshi-sama.**

_By Morrigan Mikagami_

_23.06.2003_

**Disclaimers:** Rurouni Kenshin doesn't belong to me ayt? How I wish Aoshi-sama DO belong to ME but that's hoping too much x... I'm a deranged college student who is apparently obsessed with RK. SO DON'T SUE! I have nothing else better to do, so please bear with me. (Btw, this my sort-of birthday gift to myself. Late as usual.)

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_**Meiji Year 2**_

"Misao-chan," Omasu called out in a soft whisper.

The little girl didn't as much turn to acknowledge the older girl standing behind her. She continued looking out the window, her small head propped upon her arms resting on the ledge; her dark, short braid wrapped around her neck like a woolen scarf. The lamp flickered almost inexhaustibly beside her, illuminating her obviously sleepy features and warming her with as much heat as it could offer.

"Misao-chan," Omasu called out again, a little louder and firmer this time, yet still in the same gentle tone, "Time for bed."

Misao slowly lifted her head up and rubbed her blurry eyes in a vigorous attempt to keep herself awake despite her constant yawning.

"But I want to wait for Aoshi-sama," the little girl reasoned in a weary voice, "He promised he'd come home tonight. He promised." Misao looked outside again, looking on hopefully for a sign of shadow, "And I promised Aoshi-sama that I will wait for him," She seem to protest in between yawns, her head nodding off begging for sleep.

Omasu smiled at the girl in amusement. She knew only too well of Misao's enthusiastic faith and loyalty to the young Okashira of the Oniwabanshuu, adorable in all her childishness. She knew she wouldn't be able to peel the little girl from the window, Misao wouldn't give up even if Omasu had to fight with her about it.

Misao turned back to the window, straining her eyes as far as they can seek into the still, dark night.

The pale moon rose quietly in the horizon, bathing the city streets in clean, white light.

The girl's bubbly spirit never did waver, anticipating a promise made under the same star-streaked night sky...

_(Flashback)_

_"I wanna go! I wanna go! Please let me come with you Aoshi-sama!"_

_Misao Makimachi wailed; screaming in protest and throwing her frail little arms around the older boy's hips, holding on to him tightly as if for dear life._

_Aoshi held the whimpering girl on her legs, gently pushing her as he knelt to face the tear-filled, red and swollen familiar face of his Misao. He chuckled softly at the big pout she made, tenderly drying her cheeks with his battle-callused fingers._

_"Ne ne, Misao-chan," a tall masked man who stood behind the Okashira cooed at her, "Aoshi-sama won't leave you. We just couldn't take you to the city this time; it's not safe now for little girls." Hannya playfully tugged at Misao's braid, which made the little girl wail all the louder as she assumed her position inside Aoshi's embrace._

_Aoshi stroked Misao's hair, comforting her quivers and cries. This time he had let her hold him for a while longer._

_"Listen to me, Misao-chan," He talked to her in a soothing, cool tone, "Your Oji-sama asked me to go to the city for a while. You know how he gets angry when he is not followed don't you?"_

_Misao looked up at Aoshi; her teary, big blue eyes glittered like crystals as she tried to understand what her Aoshi-sama was telling her._

_"You don't want me to get scolded by your Oji-sama do you?" He looked back at her with an amused expression, as the little girl nodded in cognition._

_"But you promised to take me to the festival... you promised!"_

_To put emphasis on her complaint, Misao stomped her feet, her bright blue eyes this time shone the intensity of turbulent waters._

_"But I am still going to take you to the festival," Aoshi assured her, in that unwavering, cool tone which is almost always absent of emotion—almost. _

_"We'll watch the fireworks together, ne? I promise to come home for you and in time for the festival."_

_Misao gazed at him with eyes of unscathed intensity as hope flickered in her quivering smile. 'Aoshi-sama won't break his promise, I know he won't!'_

_Aoshi's own grey-blue eyes returned the warmth of her confidence in him. It rarely happens that an omnitsu betrays his emotions, if not never at any circumstance at all. Hannya knew this well; and he knew more than anyone that his Okashira is best at not having to express any emotion whatsoever._

_But this is an exception. Standing before Aoshi Shinomori is the only reason he defies this unspoken rule of the Omnitsu._

_"Will you promise to come home soon, Aoshi-sama?..." Misao spoke in a softer but still pressing tone, her tantrums gone at the very least._

_Aoshi smiled. He knew he couldn't resist._

_He took her small hand and placed a thin white silk ribbon on her soft palm._

_"I want you to take care of that for me while I'm gone, alright Misao-chan?" Misao looked at him puzzled and wondered at the ribbon for a moment, toying with it absent-mindedly. "You promise to keep it safe, and I swear to keep mine."_

_"Yakusoku ne, Aoshi-sama.." Her voice small and yet adamant._

_Aoshi leaned in and planting a soft kiss on her forehead, "Aa ," he whispered, "Yakusoku."_

_(End of Flashback)_

Omasu took out a woolen blanket from one of the near-by drawers and draped it around Misao's small frame.

"Well at least don't try catching a cold, " she half-scolded Misao, who was shaking off the shivers of the cold night. Omasu realized, she isn't as near as to giving up any time soon.

"Arigato, Omasu-neechan," Misao beamed at her.

"Oyasumi, Misao-chan," Omasu whispered as she gave the little girl a quick hug. Quietly then, she stepped out of the room, giving a short glance at Misao. Omasu smiled to herself and slid close the shoji.

Misao held the white silk ribbon, intertwined loosely between her fingers.

"Aoshi-sama..." she murmured as she drifted off to sleep.

_Yakusoku._

_To be continued..._

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Translations:

_Yakusoku _means 'promise'.

_Shoji_ is the wooden sliding door.

_Okashira _means 'Leader'.

_Omnitsu_ is a Ninja Warrior.

Author's Notes:

This is the cleaner version, I just edited a few minor parts. The second installation to this mini-series is on its way, getting done already—finally after such a long time of not updating! 


	2. Chapter 1: Kurai no

**TANABATA GOSEKI: Season of Fireworks**

**Chapter One: Kurai no**

_By Morrigan Mikagami_

_12.09.2005_

**Author's Notes: **Well? I hope I haven't lost my touch, seeing as I haven't written after a long time… way too long indeed! I'm still making a few adjustments to the storyline, but there will be no crossovers. Originally intended to be a short vignette, but somehow it's begging me to take it further. R&R's appreciated! J Many thanks to Niagra-san for helping with the Japanese verbs!

**Dedication:** To Sheena, who gave me the much needed kick in the shin to continue this. And to my Aoshi-sama, if someday we should find each other again.

**Disclaimers:** Rurouni Kenshin and its characters do not belong to me. They are Nobuhiro Watsuki's.

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Misao opened her eyes and blinked. Surprised to have found herself enveloped in complete darkness, with a livid soreness on her shoulder and an electric tingling down her legs. She abruptly raised her head up, only to cause more pain at the back of her neck.

"Kuso…" She hissed, instinctively rubbing the discomforting ache.

Gaining a bit more consciousness and orientation, she had let her eyes adjust to the night as her hands prodded her immediate surroundings. She felt cold, hard wood and the rustling of papers as her arms swept the table, knocking over what seemed like a teacup that stood on the edge. It appeared to be empty as she didn't feel anything spill; so she continued to feel around for the lantern that she have a vague recollection to be somewhere at the other end of the table.

"Ah." She had found some matches as well.

The lantern glowed softly, throwing a small light across the low table Misao had apparently been working on. There were several books laid open to one side and some scrolls of paper rolled beside them. She noticed her own scrawls on one of the papers that had the ink stone holding it down. She picked up the nearest document to her, unfolded it and looked at it more closely through the light. Misao immediately recognized her friend Kaoru's calligraphy.

It suddenly dawned on her what she has been doing before she fell asleep. _How long was it? Two, three hours maybe?_ The soft beam of moonlight that permeated through the paper panes told her that it was well into midnight.

Rubbing her temples, she stretched out her legs before getting up from half-sitting, half-laying position. Picking up the teacup that fell on the matted floor, she decided to get back on the reports after a cup of hot tea to wake her wits about. She knew she'd be able to think more clearly that way and absorb more information.

Kaoru had sent her that letter a couple of days ago, a sense of anxiety in her tone. Strange things have been happening around Tokyo recently: _"a mystical light coming from the temples, mysterious sightings, and other quaint oddities that you ought to look at yourself"'._

No sooner had she finished her friend's tale that Misao dispatched a pigeon to a couple of Onis based at Tokyo to investigate on the matter. Although she would prefer to go to the city and check on the situation personally; Kyoto hasn't been exactly quite peaceful as of late too. Mystical white lights have also been sighted at temples around the city, and rumors of other-worldly beings roaming the streets, troubling the citizens at night reached the Oniwabanshuu intelligence.

For the past few days, Misao has been staking out at various temples around Kyoto, hoping to apprehend the person—or whatever it is, responsible for causing the raucous. Okina objected strongly about it, and kept convincing her to let Aoshi go with her. Misao protested on the idea.

"Aoshi-sama has a lot to deal with still." She reasoned to her surrogate grandfather, a mixture of worry and sadness in the undertones, as she thought about the man she has been nursing deep feelings for. _Aoshi-sama…_

Though he did not frequent the temple as much as he did two years ago after the battle with Shishio, Aoshi seemed to have chosen the training room as his recluse. She knew he wasn't obsessed with obtaining the title of "the Strongest" anymore, but during the many times Misao stole to watch him practice his kempo, his seriousness was overwhelming. It looked as though he was preparing for the fight of his life.

"I don't want to bother him with this, Jiiya. Besides," she added with a smile and a casual wave of her hand, her note changing to a much lighter one, "It could just be some act started by some crackpot fool with much time in his hands. Aoshi-sama would find it a waste of time."

Okina tried to argue with her a little more, but realizing that she had already made up her mind, gave up and left her to her research, muttering about how much she reminded him of her grandfather on his way out of her room earlier that evening.

Misao slid open the shoji and took in breath as she felt cold breeze brush her skin through the thin cloth of her yukata. It was already the end of June, but the frothiness of spring didn't seem to want to go away just yet. Recovering from the initial shock, she padded quietly down the empty corridor of the Aoiya. Everyone appeared to be asleep, there were no lights emanating from any of the rooms and everything seemed to be still as the night. Yawning, she made her way to the kitchen.

As she turned to a corner from the veranda, her senses all of a sudden sparked up like hot kindling inside her. She never quite made out if it was intuition or her omnitsu training, but within seconds, she was sprinting towards the one of the rooms at the far-end of the corridor. _Something's wrong. Something's very wrong._ Her heart thumped frantically in her chest.

As she neared the room, she was sure of the moaning coming from inside of it. Without a moment's hesitation, she slid open the door and rushed to the man laying on the futon, flailing his arms in hysterical motion and whimpering loudly.

"Aoshi-sama!" Misao cried out to him as she shook his shoulders, "Aoshi-sama please wake up! Aoshi-sama!"

As he was much larger than her petite frame, she shook him awake with much effort. Aoshi groaned sour fully, his arms thrashing all over the bedding. Whatever nightmares he's having, it was causing him a great deal of pain. Panic now griped Misao. _If he doesn't wake up…_

"Aoshi-sama!"

"Yamete!..." Aoshi shot up from his futon to a sitting position, his right hand grasping nothing but air. He was sweating profusely, his knuckles white. But nothing startled Misao more than the look of horror he had on his face. Never in her whole life she had known him, that he displayed any sign of emotion, for any kind of situation. Though now, his usual cold, blue-grey eyes exhibited an intense fear, his handsome face contorted in pure anguish.

"Aoshi-sama…" She called out quietly to him, placing her hand on his arms.

Aoshi turned to look at her. For a moment, he seemed to have not realized who she was. The color of his eyes quickly changed into a softer hue as the terror faded away and upon recognition of her, but the intensity was still there as he held his gaze.

"Misao!"

In one swift movement, Misao was enveloped in Aoshi's arms. He held her close around the waist, his head propped up on the nook of her neck.

"Kisama… Misao…" He was whispering her name between gasps, breathing heavily. After a while, she detected a wild relief in his tone as he continued to call her and clung to her more tightly. The iciness of his voice that Misao has become accustomed to seemed to have vanished along with his detached and impassive demeanor.

She placed her arms around his back to return the embrace. He looked really scared back there. She couldn't remember a time when Aoshi ever exhibited any sign of fear, especially not in battle. It worried her immensely that a dark dream could have done this to him.

"Aoshi-sama? Doushita no?" Misao stroked Aoshi's hair tenderly, remembering how he used to stroke her hair whenever she was feeling frightened or had nightmares as a child, easing away her anxiety. At that instance, it felt as if she was returning the favor.

Aoshi buried his face into her shoulder, sighing deeply. With one last squeeze, he slowly loosened his grip on her. He looked deep into her eyes, the first few moments spent on swimming in the bright blue orbs that showed all indication of worry and concern for him.

Misao felt blood rush to her cheeks, her heart throbbing rapidly, but not of panic anymore. She's never been this close to Aoshi before. Their faces were inches away from each other; she could loudly hear his intake of breaths, which surprisingly grew steadier as he gazed down at her, intense blue-grey eyes watching her intently.

Aoshi swept a stray hair away from her face and gently held her cheeks. She felt the roughness of the calluses on his fingers, nevertheless, his touch was warm and inviting, she could almost stay that way with him forever. Misao smiled softly at him.

"I swear to the gods I will protect you, Misao," Aoshi said in a deep whisper, "I won't let anything happen to you, I promise. I _will _protect you."

_To be continued…._

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_Translations:_

___Kurai no_ : "Of darkness"

___Yamede _ : "Stop"

___Doushita no_ : "Are you alright/ What's wrong?"


End file.
